Want to Resolve a Conflict Fast? Here’s How to Settle a Dispute Like Herb Kelleher

 January 7, 2018

Want to Resolve a Conflict Fast? Here’s How to Settle a Dispute Like Herb Kelleher

The Kelleher Legend: Herb Kelleher, Founder and CEO of Southwest Airlines, died last week at the age of 87 and the world is a lesser place because of his passing. How could you not love a CEO who settled disputes by arm wrestling, rode his Harley right into and inside the office and helped out the baggage handlers when they were swamped?

As an attorney with no airline experience, he started the company with one small plane and grew Southwest into an international airline empire. His unconventional methods earned the loyalty of employees and the grudging respect of a skeptical industry.

 My Meeting with Herb: I was asked to speak on conflict to a group of 200 of Southwest’s top executives. The session started in the late morning and the group was to be served a buffet lunch. The organizers promised me lunch with Kelleher after my presentation. I tend not to eat before I speak and when I finished, I was famished. Kelleher came up to meet me, waxed with enthusiasm about my presentation and then walked me over to the buffet. Only….we never made it to the food. Herb decided to stop and talk with every person in the room, asking them questions about a son’s graduation, a recent wedding, a stay in the hospital and on and on. He knew the personal details of every employee’s life, including the servers and AV people. After an hour or so of this, I excused myself to grab some food before I fainted dead away. Herb continued to gab.

What Does All This Have To Do With Resolving Conflict? Based on several work projects with Southwest, my experience was not unique. Kelleher was legendary for remembering birthdays, work anniversaries and the details of an employee’s latest project. When a conflict arose, he had already infused the worker with a Kelleher charm offensive and developed a relationship with them. Of course, they were predisposed to want to work things out.

“What helps… is keeping a higher goal in mind to help you through the tough work.”

What Should You Do?

If you want to adopt the Kelleher method, here’s how:

  • Get to know people BEFORE there’s a conflict. In most workplaces, conflict is inevitable and you know with whom you are likely to squabble. Before a beef occurs, develop a relationship with them, find something to like about the person or his/her work, and keep up regular and friendly contact.
  • Use humor and unusual tactics. Arm wrestling isn’t a bad idea compared to how most people resolve disputes. Suggesting this or some other unorthodox method will at least encourage a laugh with most people and help them be more likely to consider your side.
  • Be on purpose. Resolving conflict isn’t a skill that most people have developed. Trying to solve a dispute creates stress and distractions. Before you begin, make sure that you have a higher goal in mind. That could be, for example, making sure you can support your family, contributing to the mission or your organization, or helping create a more peaceful world. The purpose doesn’t matter. What helps, however, is keeping that higher goal in mind to help you through the tough work. Kelleher always had a vision for building an airline that provided the highest level of service to customers and treasured their employees. That compass guided his every move.

For more ideas on skillfully resolving conflict, go to workplacesthatwork.com

 

What Do You Think?

Do you have unique ideas about resolving conflict? Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Did You Know

All our management and leadership sessions cover conflict management skills. We also provide dedicated conflict resolution skills training.

Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or
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Be sure to read Lynne’s book “The Power of a Good Fight”  and learn to embrace conflict to drive productivity, creativity and innovation.

 

  
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